diff --git a/components/esp_wifi/lib b/components/esp_wifi/lib
index 2394f28812..56d5c4a85f 160000
--- a/components/esp_wifi/lib
+++ b/components/esp_wifi/lib
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 2394f288120349d894b074bf47057eb389ce1053
+Subproject commit 56d5c4a85f9b1551a6253b3fadd7e562010104f0
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_hostap.c b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_hostap.c
index 221ed3bd9c..4bc5716763 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_hostap.c
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_hostap.c
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include "esp_wifi_types.h"
 #include "esp_wpa3_i.h"
 
+#define WIFI_PASSWORD_LEN_MAX 65
+
 struct hostapd_data *global_hapd;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SAE
@@ -139,7 +141,7 @@ void *hostap_init(void)
     memcpy(hapd->conf->ssid.ssid, ssid->ssid, ssid->len);
     hapd->conf->ssid.ssid_len = ssid->len;
     hapd->conf->wpa_key_mgmt = auth_conf->wpa_key_mgmt;
-    hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase = (char *)os_zalloc(64);
+    hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase = (char *)os_zalloc(WIFI_PASSWORD_LEN_MAX);
     if (hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase == NULL) {
         os_free(auth_conf);
         os_free(hapd->conf);
@@ -163,7 +165,7 @@ void *hostap_init(void)
 #endif /* CONFIG_SAE */
 
     os_memcpy(hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase, esp_wifi_ap_get_prof_password_internal(), strlen((char *)esp_wifi_ap_get_prof_password_internal()));
-
+    hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase[WIFI_PASSWORD_LEN_MAX - 1] = '\0';
     hapd->conf->max_num_sta = esp_wifi_ap_get_max_sta_conn();
 
     hapd->conf->ap_max_inactivity = 5 * 60;
@@ -190,6 +192,8 @@ void hostapd_cleanup(struct hostapd_data *hapd)
     }
 
     if (hapd->conf) {
+        forced_memzero(hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase, WIFI_PASSWORD_LEN_MAX);
+        os_free(hapd->conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase);
         hostapd_config_free_bss(hapd->conf);
         hapd->conf = NULL;
     }
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wifi_driver.h b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wifi_driver.h
index 079f09300c..573526669a 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wifi_driver.h
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wifi_driver.h
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ struct wpa_funcs {
     void *(*wpa_ap_init)(void);
     bool (*wpa_ap_deinit)(void *data);
     bool (*wpa_ap_join)(void **sm, u8 *bssid, u8 *wpa_ie, u8 wpa_ie_len, u8* rsnxe, u8 rsnxe_len, bool *pmf_enable, int subtype);
-    bool (*wpa_ap_remove)(void *sta_info);
+    bool (*wpa_ap_remove)(u8 *bssid);
     uint8_t *(*wpa_ap_get_wpa_ie)(uint8_t *len);
     bool (*wpa_ap_rx_eapol)(void *hapd_data, void *sm, u8 *data, size_t data_len);
     void (*wpa_ap_get_peer_spp_msg)(void *sm, bool *spp_cap, bool *spp_req);
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wpa3.c b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wpa3.c
index 103d2c3fab..8835950c90 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wpa3.c
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/esp_supplicant/src/esp_wpa3.c
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@ static void wpa3_process_rx_commit(wpa3_hostap_auth_event_t *evt)
             goto free;
         }
     }
-    if (sta->lock && os_mutex_lock(sta->lock)) {
+    if (sta->lock && os_semphr_take(sta->lock, 0)) {
         sta->sae_commit_processing = true;
         ret = handle_auth_sae(hapd, sta, frm->msg, frm->len, frm->bssid, frm->auth_transaction, frm->status);
 
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ static void wpa3_process_rx_commit(wpa3_hostap_auth_event_t *evt)
             goto free;
         }
         sta->sae_commit_processing = false;
-        os_mutex_unlock(sta->lock);
+        os_semphr_give(sta->lock);
         uint16_t aid = 0;
         if (ret != WLAN_STATUS_SUCCESS &&
             ret != WLAN_STATUS_ANTI_CLOGGING_TOKEN_REQ) {
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ static void wpa3_process_rx_confirm(wpa3_hostap_auth_event_t *evt)
         return;
     }
 
-    if (sta->lock && os_mutex_lock(sta->lock)) {
+    if (sta->lock && os_semphr_take(sta->lock, 0)) {
         ret = handle_auth_sae(hapd, sta, frm->msg, frm->len, frm->bssid, frm->auth_transaction, frm->status);
 
         if (sta->remove_pending) {
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ static void wpa3_process_rx_confirm(wpa3_hostap_auth_event_t *evt)
                 goto done;
             }
         }
-        os_mutex_unlock(sta->lock);
+        os_semphr_give(sta->lock);
         if (ret != WLAN_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
             uint16_t aid = -1;
             if (esp_wifi_ap_get_sta_aid(frm->bssid, &aid) == ESP_OK && aid == 0) {
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.c b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.c
index 62783ce7b6..0746bfea94 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.c
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.c
@@ -291,9 +291,8 @@ void hostapd_config_clear_wpa_psk(struct hostapd_wpa_psk **l)
 void hostapd_config_free_bss(struct hostapd_bss_config *conf)
 {
     hostapd_config_clear_wpa_psk(&conf->ssid.wpa_psk);
-	str_clear_free(conf->ssid.wpa_passphrase);
 #ifdef CONFIG_SAE
-	sae_deinit_pt(conf->ssid.pt);
+    sae_deinit_pt(conf->ssid.pt);
 #endif /* CONFIG_SAE */
     os_free(conf);
 }
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.h b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.h
index b42edc4775..3d6d6af94c 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.h
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/ap_config.h
@@ -385,6 +385,6 @@ struct sta_info;
 bool wpa_ap_join(struct sta_info *sta, uint8_t *bssid, uint8_t *wpa_ie,
 		 uint8_t wpa_ie_len,uint8_t *rsnxe, uint8_t rsnxe_len,
 		 bool *pmf_enable, int subtype);
-bool wpa_ap_remove(void* sta_info);
+bool wpa_ap_remove(u8* bssid);
 
 #endif /* HOSTAPD_CONFIG_H */
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/sta_info.c b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/sta_info.c
index 942df81a9a..810125691e 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/sta_info.c
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/sta_info.c
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ void ap_free_sta(struct hostapd_data *hapd, struct sta_info *sta)
 	sae_clear_data(sta->sae);
 	os_free(sta->sae);
 	if (sta->lock) {
-		os_mutex_unlock(sta->lock);
+		os_semphr_give(sta->lock);
 		os_mutex_delete(sta->lock);
 		sta->lock = NULL;
 	}
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ struct sta_info * ap_sta_add(struct hostapd_data *hapd, const u8 *addr)
 #ifdef CONFIG_SAE
 	sta->sae_commit_processing = false;
 	sta->remove_pending = false;
-	sta->lock = os_mutex_create();
+	sta->lock = os_semphr_create(1, 1);
 #endif /* CONFIG_SAE */
 
 	return sta;
diff --git a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/wpa_auth.c b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/wpa_auth.c
index 82c9bfa96a..3cc7a27aaa 100644
--- a/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/wpa_auth.c
+++ b/components/wpa_supplicant/src/ap/wpa_auth.c
@@ -2578,19 +2578,21 @@ static void ap_free_sta_timeout(void *ctx, void *data)
 }
 #endif
 
-bool wpa_ap_remove(void* sta_info)
+bool wpa_ap_remove(u8* bssid)
 {
     struct hostapd_data *hapd = hostapd_get_hapd_data();
 
-    if (!sta_info || !hapd) {
+    if (!hapd) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    struct sta_info *sta = ap_get_sta(hapd, bssid);
+    if (!sta) {
         return false;
     }
-    struct sta_info *sta = NULL;
-    sta = (struct sta_info*)sta_info;
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SAE
     if (sta->lock) {
-        if (os_mutex_lock(sta->lock)) {
+        if (os_semphr_take(sta->lock, 0)) {
             ap_free_sta(hapd, sta);
         } else {
             sta->remove_pending = true;
diff --git a/docs/en/api-guides/wifi-security.rst b/docs/en/api-guides/wifi-security.rst
index 33fdb52444..20f3db476f 100644
--- a/docs/en/api-guides/wifi-security.rst
+++ b/docs/en/api-guides/wifi-security.rst
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ Depending on PMF configurations on Station and AP side, the resulting connection
 API & Usage
 +++++++++++
 
-{IDF_TARGET_NAME} supports PMF in both Station and SoftAP mode. For both, the default mode is PMF Optional and disabling PMF is not possible. For even higher security, PMF required mode can be enabled by setting the ``required`` flag in `pmf_cfg` while using the :cpp:func:`esp_wifi_set_config` API. This will result in the device only connecting to a PMF enabled device and rejecting others.
+{IDF_TARGET_NAME} supports PMF in both Station and SoftAP mode. For both, the default mode is PMF Optional. For even higher security, PMF required mode can be enabled by setting the ``required`` flag in `pmf_cfg` while using the :cpp:func:`esp_wifi_set_config` API. This will result in the device only connecting to a PMF enabled device and rejecting others. PMF optional can be disabled using :cpp:func:`esp_wifi_disable_pmf_config` API. If softAP is started in WPA3 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode trying to disable PMF will result in error.
 
 .. attention::
 
@@ -75,11 +75,12 @@ Please refer to `Security <https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/security>`_ sect
 Setting up WPA3 with {IDF_TARGET_NAME}
 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
-In IDF Menuconfig under Wi-Fi component, a config option "Enable WPA3-Personal" is provided to Enable/Disable WPA3. By default it is kept enabled, if disabled {IDF_TARGET_NAME} will not be able to establish a WPA3 connection. WPA3 is supported by station as well as softAP. Additionally, since PMF is mandated by WPA3 protocol, PMF Mode should be set to either Optional or Required while setting WiFi config.
+In IDF Menuconfig under Wi-Fi component, a config option "Enable WPA3-Personal" is provided to Enable/Disable WPA3 for station. By default it is kept enabled, if disabled {IDF_TARGET_NAME} will not be able to establish a WPA3 connection. Also under WI-FI component a config option "ESP_WIFI_SOFTAP_SAE_SUPPORT" is provided to Enable/Disable WPA3 for softAP. Additionally, since PMF is mandated by WPA3 protocol, PMF Mode Optional is set by default for station and softAP. PMF Required can be configured using WiFi config. For WPA3 softAP, PMF required is mandatory and will be configured and stored in NVS implicitly if not specified by user.
 
 Refer to `Protected Management Frames (PMF)`_ on how to set this mode.
 
-After these settings are done, Station is ready to use WPA3-Personal. Application developers need not worry about the underlying security mode of the AP. WPA3-Personal is now the highest supported protocol in terms of security, so it will be automatically selected for the connection whenever available. For example, if an AP is configured to be in WPA3 Transition Mode, where it will advertise as both WPA2 and WPA3 capable, Station will choose WPA3 for the connection with above settings.
-Note that Wi-Fi stack size requirement will increase 3kB when WPA3 is used.
+After configuring all required settings for WPA3-Personal station, application developers need not worry about the underlying security mode of the AP. WPA3-Personal is now the highest supported protocol in terms of security, so it will be automatically selected for the connection whenever available. For example, if an AP is configured to be in WPA3 Transition Mode, where it will advertise as both WPA2 and WPA3 capable, Station will choose WPA3 for the connection with above settings.
+Note that Wi-Fi stack size requirement will increase 3kB when "Enable WPA3-Personal" is used.
 
-To configure WPA3 for softAP you have set up authmode as WIFI_AUTH_WPA3_PSK in config. For WPA3 softAP PMF is mandatory.
+After configuring all required setting for WPA3-Personal softAP, application developers have to set ``WIFI_AUTH_WPA3_PSK`` as WiFi config authmode to start AP in softAP. SoftAP can be also configured to use ``WIFI_AUTH_WPA2_WPA3_PSK`` mixed mode.
+Note that flash size will be increased by 6kB after enabling "ESP_WIFI_SOFTAP_SAE_SUPPORT".